


Cherry, on the rocks

by DigiConjurer



Series: The unsorted adventures of Princess Byleth and the Black Eagles [63]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Past Child Abuse, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), chapter 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:27:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26837458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DigiConjurer/pseuds/DigiConjurer
Summary: Mercedes goes and check on a lead. Except none of it goes well.
Relationships: Manuela Cassagranda/OC
Series: The unsorted adventures of Princess Byleth and the Black Eagles [63]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1463725





	Cherry, on the rocks

**Author's Note:**

> The following part does contain references to Mercedes backstory, which has a very clear Dead Dove: Do not eat moment, on top of trigger warnings for implied child abuse, underage, non-con and rape.

I don't own Fire Emblem.

* * *

Mercedes didn't see herself as that much of a bar person. Most of her clientele preferred that she come directly to their home or meet up at one of those fancy parties and then sneak away. But a bar? There weren't really places to do that.

This was just one more of those kinds of places. A little more out of the way than most establishments, but the number of bikes suggested one of the more popular places in town.

“Time to get to work.” the dom thought and got out of their minivan. Tempting as it was to come in her work outfit, that was just overkill. No, better for them to just assume she was one of the local moms who just needed a break from her kids. A pair of hand-me-down jeans and a sweat shirt were hopefully enough to give off that illusion. Though, you could do what Rhajat did and walk around in the nude. Yes, she was in the Valla castle's royal quarters most of the day. No, none of us want to see your belly. At all. I'm not sure why you thought that was a sight the servants needed to s- What about women back when I was 'young'? Well, maternity clothes hadn't been invented yet, so most ladies went with a tighter corset to compensate. Not the best fashion move. Even back then. Beyond the point. Especially as our dom made one more pass over her purse and debated who exactly to claim she was the mother was. Just in case.

Not counting Rhea’s fetish with breaking doors or Bernadetta’s housewife moments, most of her classmates seemed to be on the stable side of life. From a public eye at least. Whether or not that was actually the case remained to be seen. Worst case scenario, a war breaking out across Fodlan over something petty and everyone needed to pick a side. That could be worried about later, when it inevitably does occur. No, her focus needed to be on finding Cherry and seeing if she had any information on Manuela.

Pushing the door open, Mercedes found herself staring down a large room. Various shades of browns covered the walls, with a cherry red floor to keep it all together. The bikers were in the back corner, taking turns playing snooker and trading stories amongst each other. If they had noticed her, none of them were saying anything to get the dom's attention over there. Instead, Mercedes headed for the bar.

"Can I get you something?" the bartender announced, stopping her scrubbing just to look at Mercedes.

“Cherry.” the dom answered and got treated to a look. While she didn’t expect to actually get a straight answer, this was just silly. The least she could do was direct to who did know where this ‘Cherry’ lady was. If i could make a suggestion, maybe you should’ve been more direct? Like, the woman didn’t even know what the fuck you were even talking about in the first place. I’m sure drinks involving cher-

“I got this.” a voice announced as a second woman came out. Dressed in a red cocktail dress, locks of fiery red hair trailed down to her waist. That doesn't explain why she has her fist pulled back. Fairly certain that Mercedes hasn't met this person before. Or if she has, it was sometime ago and the interaction didn't make enough of an impression to be remembered. Must have been one hell of an insult. Doesn't justify Mercedes meeting the fist with her whip. At all.

“I trust that you’re Cherry then.” Mercedes remarked and lowered her whip down. Setting it down on the table, Cherry took this as the perfect opportunity to shoot her a look. At least it's not another attempt at punching you. Hana had that problem for a time. Most of the Nohrians couldn’t even get close or they would get their asses kicked. I may have or may have hexed her to start punching herself once. What? She brought that one down on herself. If you’re part of Corrin’s army, you’re going to need to learn how to work well with others. Like it or not.

"What about it?" Cherry muttered as she grabbed a menu. Looks to be one of those single-page affairs. Guess not every place can be as insane as Creamcake Factory. Like seriously, I would love to go out there for a romantic night time dinner. What do you think, Mozu? Judging by the drool on the pillow, I’ll take that as a definite yes then.

“I’m part of an investigation looking into the disappearance of Manuela Casagranda on behalf of Gareg Mach.” Mercedes explained as Cherry pulled her fist back. Wonderful. She thinks you’re trying to cover for whatever organization kidnapped her girlfriend in the hopes of silencing her. Wait. You probably wouldn’t know that part of the story. Never mind. “I promise I’m not with the people who took her.”

Cherry rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath. Does help that her hand no longer looks like it’s going in for another punch. Looking away for the brief moment, the other bartender is shooed away. This is a bar we’re talking about here. You’re not getting any privacy, whatsoever. Perhaps it would be best to go somewhere else.

“Just tell me Lysithea is okay.” Cherry muttered, Mercedes shooting her a look. While this would be the perfect time for a monologue about the information that I and Mozu know that our dom doesn’t, that would be beating a dead horse. That, and I suspect that Cherry will just spell it out for us. Nice of her to do that.

“One of Manuela’s students.” Cherry countered and returned Mercedes’s look with one of her own. “I would think someone like you would at least know her. Or have your children not tell you anythi-”

Mercedes’s fist smashed into the bartender’s face, a couple swings of the whip following. What the fuck, Mercedes? This isn't like you at all. What would Petra say if she saw you acting like a complete and utter asshole? Oh right. She’s hot or something along those lines. Yes Mozu, I’m still aware she can’t hear

“I am a student.” Mercedes snarled, her whip already pulled back as the bikers came over. “Don’t you ever dare refer to me as ‘mother’ ever again. Just because I’m older than my classmates doesn’t mean that I’m related to any of them. Let alone one of their parents.”

The words roll out, images blasting through the dom’s head. A man, standing over her. He’s in the nude, mess about with his privates. A woman is off to the side, laying in a pool of blood. Smashed into the floor, all because she would not give the man what he wanted - a child with something special inside. He already had one - a girl. But such a greed for the future could not be satisfied by just one. Let alone one that’s very young. Fuck. At least Count Varley had the fucking decency to at least wait for his daughter to grow up. No, that does not make him better than Mercedes father. Not by a long shot. They are both awful, despicable people that deserve to rot in hell. Or at least, be punished so severely that they learn their lessons and are kept far away from society.

“Your turn, Mercedes.” the man announced and began his approach. His target tries their best to scurry away, but the size difference makes that lead nonexistent. “When I’m done with you…”

A slap to the face snapped the dom out of her funk. Except instead of finding herself in the bar proper, the dom was now sitting on a couch in what I can only assume to be a staff area. If not, this is now a kidnapping. Not the sort of image you want for your bar. Ever.

“Good. You’re not glazed over.” Cherry muttered and took a seat across from Mercedes. Letting out a deep breath, she handed over the whip and purse. Surprised she didn’t keep the former as some kind of souvenir. That’s what I would’ve done. Before I met you, of course. “Wasn’t my intention to spark whatever I did in you. Though, I don’t appreciate that behavior.”

Mercedes looked away and let out a deep breath. While not a complete and utter bust, she had fucked this up majorly. No way in hell that Cherry would willingly give up any valuable information. Even if she did, it would probably be not of much use. But, she was going to need to try.

“All I know about Lysithea is that she doesn’t show up often to class.” Mercedes remarked, Cherry’s gaze now swiveling away. A string of curses echoed out of her mouth. I don’t really blame her. “Is something the matter?”

The bartender continued to stare off into space. Fuck. What I would kill for a moment to be able to speak directly to them. Even if it were possible, that wouldn’t do any good.

“Last time I saw her, she had asked me to be the emergency contact for her.” Cherry remarked, letting her attention return to Mercedes. “I saw her off… and I haven’t heard from her.”

A nod followed, by the taking of a note on her phone. Good call. That way you have something to show Byleth tomorrow before you all get swept off into something else sort of related to all of this. Like a beach trip. Because that’s totally what people want. Girls dressed in thin pieces of fabric and boys showing off their shirt-free tops for some people. I’ve never been that big of a fan of that. Give me a private pool and I’ll be happy.

“I can take you to her, if you want.” Mercedes continued, the bartender’s gaze lighting up. Oh. This could get interesting. “Just promise me you’re at least more stable than most of my classmate’s parents?”

A nod. That isn’t quite the most reliable way of proving your trust. But after everything that’s happened, we’re through the worst of it. Hopefully.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry about the wait. Wasn't my intention.
> 
> Next up, the obligatory bea- Seteth and Flayn's paralogue.


End file.
